Territory



(No Model.) W' El ENS.

BILLI GUE No. 403,856. Ptented May 21 1889.

wwwa/.ww 5mm/boa 'YWE Owen/s, W Mage m t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILL. E. OVENS, OF SPRINGFIELD, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

BILLIARD-CUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 403,856, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed November 30, 1888. Serial No. 292,294. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that LWILL. E. OwENs, anativeborn citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Bon IIomme andTerritory of Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Billiard- Cues; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which itappert-ains to make and use thesame.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of this device as ready for use. Fig. 2is a vertical sectional View of the device on line in front of the jaws;Fig. 3, a top plan View of the fastener detached; Fig. 4, a detailshowing the tip separated from the cue; Fig. 5, a side elevation, theferrule removed; Fig. 6, a like view, showing the slot in which the.jaws fit. Fig. 7 is adetail showing the bolt.

This invention belongs to that class known as billiard-cues. Heretoforemany attempts have been made to provide a construction adapted foreasily attaching the tip to the cue, vso that the tip could be readilyand quickly applied, and with little delay, and as quickly and easilyremoved when necessary; but, so far as I know, all attemptshitherto madeto secure this highly-desirable result have failed. The aim,consequently, of the present invention is to produce such a device asshall embody the following points, viz: A cue in general appearance andadaptation for use similar to the one now in common use; a tip which, inuse, cannot under any ordinary condition get out of place or be knockedoff; a tip which can in the simplest and quickest manner be attached orfixed in place, and as readily, when desired, be removed and replaced; atip secured to the cue so as to pro-- ject beyond the material of whichthe cuebody is composed; a tip locked on the end of the cue; atip-fastener capable of being detached or attached at will to the cue.

Having now stated in general terms the nature and scope of my invention,I will proceed to describe it in detail, reference being had to the`accompanying drawings. In the drawings, A represents the cue, which isof any usual or ordinary description. Over the end of the cue the metalferrule Bis fitted and secured, its top or outer end extending slightlybeyond the end of the cue proper, so as to form a close joint with thetip and a guard for the lower edge of the tip C. Enough of the tip willproject beyond to afford all necessary and proper exposure of the tipfor use in playing. The ferrule thus forms a casing to protect andcoverthe end of the cue, as Well as the tipfastening mechanism, to behereinafter described.

To secure the tip in place, there is provided the metal fastener D, madein two parts, pivoted together at d, serrated at d on theinner faces ofits jaws cl2, so as to grasp firmly upon the dovetailed part c on theunder or inner side of the tip. The lower end of each member of thefastener is serrated at cl3 on the inner face. The dovetail c of the tipbeing placed between the jaws d2, and the lower ends of the fastenerbrought together as closely as possible, they are then placed in theslot a of the cue proper. This slot is cut into the end centrally aboutan inch and a half, more or less. Here the fastener can be locked inplace by means of the bolt E, which passes through the cue across theslot and between the serrated ends d3 of the fastener. These serrationsare of such a shape and so adj usted relative to each other as to aifordin this po sition a sufficient opening between the ends -for the bolt tofit snugly into, as is illustrated -in Fig. 2.

The bolt in passing thus between the serrated ends causes the jaws atthe opposite end to be brought close and tightupon the tip, and thusforces said serrated ends as wide apart as is possible consistent withthe interposition of the tip between the jaws. The bolt makes thefastener secure in its place, and also the tip in its place. When thefastener has been thus placed and secured, the ferrule B is put over theend of the cue and pushed down till its lower end comes nearly to thelower edge of the tip, so as to make a close joint, and covers the slotand fastener and its bolt, and is secured in place, and thus makes aneat nish with the body of the cue and with the tipA It readily will beseen, without extended description, that the tip can be readily removedIOC when worn out .by merely withdrawing the brads that hold the ferruleand then taking it off, knocking out the bolt E, and withdrawing thefastener. This done, the old tip is taken out and a new one put in, andthen the parts are again put in place, as before.

All these manipulations can be readily accomplished in about the lengthof time it has taken to write the description of them.

While the ferrule is preferred for nicety of finish and generalappearance, it is evident that the cue and tip could be used without it.

By this invention is afforded a neat, cheap, and excellent desideratumin this class of goods. `While the prime cost is not much, if olly,increased by my invention, the saving in time in replacing the tipe ondthe durability of the Same whenl applied, as has been alcove set forth,render this device in the end by far the cheapest and moet desirable ofany new known- Having now described my invention, what .I wish to claimis-f i=Aixi1liar ic1ie provided at its end with a tip-fastener made intwo parts pivoted together and having jaws, andv a locking-bolt passingbetween them to hold and secure the tip, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a cue slotted at its end, a tip-fastener placedin said slot and composed of two parts pivoted together and having jawsabove and serrated lower ends, and a bolt to spread the serrated ends ofthe parts and hold the fastener in the cue, as well as secure the tip,substantially as described.

3. In combination with the cue slotted at its end, the tip-fastener madein two parts pivoted together and having jaws above serrated and thebolt to spread `the lower ends of said fastener, the ferrule B, to coverthe end of the elle, and the tip-fastening mechanism,

substantially as shown and described.

11i testimony whereof l affix my Signature. ill f presence of twowitnesses.

I WILL. E. OWENS. Witnesses:

A- T, BBIDGEMAN, J. P. HU'rcHINsoN.

